About The Chain Gang of 1974

The Chain Gang of 1974 is the moniker of multi-instrumentalist and DJ Kamtin Mohager's '80s-style alternative dance and synth-pop project. Born in San Jose and raised in Hawaii and later Denver, Mohager's first passion was hockey, but after hearing Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" in the movie Real Genius, the teenager was inspired to play music. (The project's name references the Raveonettes album title The Chain Gang of Love, and the birth year of another of his favorite musicians, Ryan Adams.) After playing bass on tour with 3OH!3 from 2007 through 2010, Mohager launched the Chain Gang of 1974. Released in 2010 on his own Golden Gold label, the early recordings collection Fantastic Nostalgic and full-length debut White Guts offered a sound borrowing from electro, synth pop, and post-punk, accented by Daft Punk-esque hooks and vocal stylings reminiscent of Passion Pit. Later that year, in the wake of a breakup, Mohager moved to Los Angeles and wrote sophomore record Wayward Fire, a musical diary exploring that failed relationship which arrived on Modern Art in June 2011. He then signed with Warner Bros. for 2014's hooky electro-pop infused Daydream Forever, which landed on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart.

Mohager eventually parted ways with Warner Bros. and took some time off to rethink his creative process. During this period, he befriended the Naked and Famous' Thom Powers and the two began working on new material with Powers producing. The resulting album, 2017's Felt, was self-released in partnership with Caroline Records. Featured on the album was the single, "Wallflowers." Also that year, the Chain Gang of 1974 joined AFI as on opening act on tour. ~ Chrysta Cherrie